Chapter 29 — Aranya Kanda, Sarga 29

Valmiki Ramayana — Aranya Kanda

Verse 29.18

सर्वथा तु लघुत्वं ते कत्थनेन विदर्शितम्। सुवर्णप्रतिरूपेण तप्तेनेव कुशाग्निना॥

sarvathā tu laghutvaṃ te katthanena vidarśitam| suvarṇapratirūpeṇa tapteneva kuśāgninā||

English Meaning

As brass wearing the semblance of gold, displays its own defect on being heated*, with a fire lit with Kusa, so you have betrayed your own lightness by this speech of yours. i.c. becomes dusky, (Ramanuja).

M.N. Dutt (1891–94, public domain)